LAHORE, Jan 22: The Parks and Horticulture Authority has chalked out a colourful programme for the 15-day Basant Festival to be celebrated in the provincial metropolis from Feb 6 to 20.

Over 20,000 children of 650 schools will participate in the festivities to be financed by the private sponsors. Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister Syed Raza Ali Gilani will inaugurate the festival at the Racecourse Park after the sunset on Feb 5 amid a cavalcade of folk dances, brass bands, fireworks and gymnastics.

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi will be the chief guest at the concluding ceremony to be held at the Racecourse Park on Feb 20. He will give away the prizes to the winners in different competitions to be held during the festival. The ceremony will conclude with a music programme and a fireworks display.

The concluding ceremony will be held after the Lahore Parade of beautiful floats prepared by the school children, school bands, buggies, skaters, cyclists, boy scouts, groups of children clad in regional dresses from the Qadhafi Stadium to the Racecourse Park.

Racecourse, the main Spring and Basant festivities' venue, will be tastefully decorated and stalls of handicrafts and traditional foods of different parts of the country would be set up there.

The Food and Craft Festivals will commence at the Minar-i-Pakistan and the Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Feb 7. Humaira Arshad, Fareeha Pervez, Rahim Shah, Jawad Ahmed and Nisar Butt will enthral the audience at a mega music show at Old Anarkali Tourist Street the same evening.

The All Pakistan Kite Flying Association will organize the All Pakistan Kite Flying Championship competitions at the Racecourse Park on Feb 12 and 13. Competitions will be held daily at the Iqbal Parks Guddi Ground daily from Feb 6 to 20.

Basant related songs will be presented at a musical evening at the Haveli Asifjah for a selected gathering on Feb 13 where Fareeha Pervez, Aleene, Abrarul Haq, Fusion and Junoon Groups will perform. On Feb 14, a musical evening will be held at the Kamran Baradari.

Beena Jawad will perform at the Basant Bahar Programme of music, comedy and dance at the Noor Jahan Hall of the Alhamra Cultural Complex on Feb 15. Music programmes will also be held at the Gulshan-i-Iqbal and Open Air Theatre the same evening. The PHA will organize a Basant Thrill Ride competition among the motorcyclists at the Jallo Park Dirt Track on Feb 18.The National Horse and Cattle Show will commence at the Fortress Stadium from Feb 16 and continue till Feb 21.

The PHA has invited cultural troupes from all the provinces for participation in the Spring Festival. The Shola Music Group is coming from UK to perform during the festival.

Music programmes will also be arranged at the Racecourse Park, Minar-i-Pakistan and Gulshan-i-Iqbal every evening during the festival. A music programme will be arranged at the Racecourse Park on Feb 6.

Poetry of sufi poets will be presented at the Racecourse Park on Feb 12. People will watch all their performances free of charge and would be given gifts through ballot draws in addition.

A 15-day exhibition of pet birds will start at the Racecourse Park from Feb 6. A paintings competition among the school children will be held at the park on Feb 7. Selected paintings will remain on display at the park till Feb 20. A dog show will be held at the park on Feb 6 and 7 from 10am to 5pm daily.

A flower arrangement competition among the students of girls' colleges will be held at the Racecourse Park from 10am to 5pm on Feb 12. School children will participate in a national songs and tableaus competition at the Racecourse Park on Feb 19.

Ornamental gates will be built at the prominent points and entrances of the provincial metropolis like the Lahore Airport, Lahore Railway Station, Ravi Bridge, Minar-i-Pakistan, Thokar Niaz Beg, Chungi Amar Sidhu, Motorway Toll Plaza, Jail Road, Shahrah-i-Quaid-i-Azam and Gulberg Mian Boulevard.

Gowalmandi Food Street, Old Anarkali Tourists Street, Fort Road Heritage Street, Shahrah-i-Quaid-i-Azam, Jail Road and Gulberg Main Boulevard will be decorated and illuminated for the festival. Canal Mela will be held at the Lahore Canal which would be illuminated and decorated by colourful floating fountains and boats.